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The corn is tasseling here in western Wisconsin. Kaleb Ellis noticed his 94-day corn is tasseling before his 91-day corn, even though they were planted within 12 hours of each other this past spring. He thinks it’s because the longer-day corn emerged first. He plans to spray fungicide with a drone for tar spot in the corn. Although it hasn’t been a big problem, he wants to be proactive in managing it.

For the soybeans, he said he’ll also spray fungicide.

“I’m waiting for the soybeans to get R3, which is their maturity stage,� he said. “That’s when the pods start to set, and that’s when we start putting out soybean fungicide.�

His goal is to increase bushels by keeping the plants healthier and preventing white mold from forming. Because my farm has not had beans until two years ago, he’s not had much concern there. But on his grandfather’s farm the fields have beans every other year.

Second-crop hay is finished, and that will be sprayed for leaf hoppers. The Canadian wildfire smoke and hot, humid weather prevented Ellis from making baled hay so it went into a silage pile. They’re hoping to bale their third crop.

Ellis reported in earlier field reports that there’s a continuing problem with pinkeye in the cattle this summer. He said there’s been some progress being made on that front. Pastures continue to look good with plenty of moisture for re-growth after the animals move through them.

Bulls were added to the beef herd, and the heifers will be visited next. The heifers received prostaglandin shots before their visits with the bulls.

The rye is a light golden color and should be ready for harvest in about two weeks. It’s no longer standing straight.

“It’ll be a little challenge, but I’ll get her,� Ellis said. “I’ve done worse wheat, laying on the ground and still got it, so that stuff won’t be too hard. It looks like some pretty big heads out there.�

He’s been busy lining up buyers for the rye seed and the straw. New heaters and stir-rators are being installed in the bins in preparation for the harvest, along with a new fan in one of them. Because there are several buyers, they plan to put the rye in the bin and run back through the combine for cleaning when they load it into the trucks. Buyers range from purchases of 200 bushels to 900 bushels.

The rye will be ready about the time of the county fair in Mondovi, Wisconsin. Ellis is volunteering with the pig department for the first time. He showed pigs when he was younger, so he knows the pig-show routine.

The bees will be ready to give up some of their honey about that time. Currently they are busy collecting and filling the frames in the hives.

I haven’t been off the farm much in the past two weeks. I’ve been busy learning how to use a loader and blade on a tractor because I don’t like bothering my neighbor and waiting on him when I want small tasks done around the farm. It’s much nicer than hauling material with 5-gallon buckets.

This is an original article written for Agri-View, a Lee Enterprises agricultural publication based in Madison, Wisconsin. Visit for more information.